Brenda Heringer

Brenda Stuck Heringer passed away on September 5, 2017. Born in Jonesboro on August 14, 1928, Brenda was the daughter of Elmer Axtell Stuck and Ruth Jane Diamant Stuck. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Margaret Ann Frier, and her husband of 63 years, Carl Cone Heringer She is survived by her sister, Sally Stuck Grable; her children, Maria Jones (Victor), Carl C. Heringer Jr. (Joyce) and Elmer Heringer (Carol); her grandchildren, Carl C. Heringer III (Angelia), Tommy Heringer (Kelly), Sarah Heringer (Hunter), Alan Jones (Amanda), Elizabeth Jones, Nelson Heringer, Anna Heringer, Alex Heringer; and her great-grandchildren, Lilly Heringer, Jackson Heringer, Gavin Heringer, Devin Heringer, Madeleine Jones. Brenda's art career was launched at age sixteen when she began drawing and painting lessons with Sister Bernadine at Holy Angels Academy in Jonesboro. She received her formal arts education at the University of Arkansas, where she was in the Pi Beta Phi Sorority. She continued graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin, Arkansas State College (now ASU), the Memphis College of Art, and the Arkansas Arts Center. She was a watercolorist, potter, sculptor and teacher. She taught in the Jonesboro public schools as well as privately. She won numerous awards for her paintings in exhibitions from Little Rock to Memphis. She was a member of the Ozark Crafts Guild, and a founding member of the Northeast Arkansas Visual Arts League. She was also active in the Mid-Southern Watercolorists, Memphis/Germantown Art League, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and was listed in the Arkansas Artists Registry. Her art promoted several local events and fundraisers. An active community leader, Brenda was a member of many civic and charitable organizations. These included the Twentieth Century Club, Northeast Arkansas Symphony Guild, League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women (AAUW). An honorary lifetime member of AAUW, she held board positions in the Jonesboro branch and continued her mother's legacy of strong advocacy for women's education. Other examples of her civic work included establishing and supporting the Jonesboro Head Start program, serving as Boy Scout den mother and Girl Scout leader, organizing local art shows, advocating for the preservation of historical buildings and promoting local art history. Brenda and Carl married in 1954. Together they enjoyed traveling Europe and Asia, attending local cultural events at ASU and the Forum, and held season-tickets for the Metropolitan Opera when in Memphis. They were enthusiastic supporters of the Northeast Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and all of the Foundation of the Arts programs. They supported the Arkansas Arts Center, public television and the AR Reparatory Theater. They attended the First United Methodist Church together for over 60 years. Brenda enjoyed spending family time at Rio Vista on the Spring River in Hardy, Arkansas. She passed along this love to many of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She and her "sisters of the skillet", Margaret and Sally, cherished their time together and with their families at The River. Brenda had a special relationship with her nieces and nephews, and was very good at remembering birthdays. The family wishes to thank the caregivers assisting Brenda, with a special note of appreciation to Robin Addison. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Jonesboro First United Methodist Church. A family visitation will be held at 9:30am Saturday in the atrium of the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Association of University Women https://ww2.aauw.org/donate-gift/ ; the Northeast Arkansas Visual Arts League 1201 Holly St., Jonesboro, Ark. 72401; or the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House http://stbernardsfoundation.org/give/donate/. Online Registry: www.emersonfuneralhome.com.